During the “special finale episode” on Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games, Sakurai revealed that he has been working on a secret game project since April 2022. He had apparently written the game proposal at “lightning speed” around July 2021, while still working on Kazuya Mishima and Sora as DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
“It was around July 2021. I was busy working on the DLC of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” said Sakurai on the subject. “To be precise, I was putting together the video for ‘Mr. Sakurai Presents Kazuya.’ Sora was in development too, of course. While I was busy working on those tasks, I received a request to write a game proposal, which I finished at lightning speed.”
Of course, Sakurai wasn’t willing to divulge too many more details about this secret game proposal. However, he did note that it should probably get revealed at some point as he’s still in the midst of developing this mysterious title.
“I’m sorry I can’t share more about this project, but assuming we’re able to get it made, it should be announced sooner or later,” continued Sakurai. Ultimately though, it took until April 2022 for the team to be assembled so that development could start.
“I’m sorry I can’t share more about this project, but assuming we’re able to get it made, it should be announced sooner or later.” — Masahiro Sakurai
Coincidentally, official details about the Switch successor, Nintendo’s next big console, are also pretty scarce. According to Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, the Switch successor is slated to be revealed before the end of this fiscal year, which technically ends on April 1, 2025 for Nintendo.
At this point, the time between the start of this new game’s development and today has spanned longer than the start of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s development roughly in February 2016 and its first reveal trailer in March 2018. Needless to say, the hypothesis that Sakurai is developing a new game specifically for the Switch successor has a strong foundation, though this detail has yet to be confirmed.
Of course, the confirmation that Sakurai has been working on a new game immediately spurred on speculation about the next Super Smash Bros. entry after Smash Ultimate. After all, Nintendo and Sakurai have consistently been able to produce a new iteration for every Nintendo console since the debut of the franchise on the Nintendo 64.
However, it’s important to note that Sakurai was specifically asked about the possibility of a sequel to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate shortly after that game’s development had wrapped up. Specifically, Famitsu had arranged an interview with Sakurai which had been translated by Ryokutya.
I am not thinking of a sequel. I am not thinking of it every time. However, I can’t say with certainty that this would be the end of Smash.” — Masahiro Sakurai
Hilariously enough, Sakurai initially responded to the question about a sequel to Smash Ultimate by exclaiming “Impossible!” multiple times, mostly in reference to the amount of content packaged in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. On multiple occasions before, Sakurai had declared that developing a true follow up to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would prove difficult mostly due to the “Everyone Is Here” theme as he did not believe it would be possible to repeat this, which would inevitably result in a smaller roster.
“I am not thinking of a sequel. I am not thinking of it every time,” said Sakurai after these comedic outbursts. “However, I can’t say with certainty that this would be the end of Smash.”
Sakurai’s philosophy for developing the Super Smash Bros. series has always been to develop each game in the series as though it could be the last one. Needless to say, each game has become progressively more difficult to design and develop.
This interview happened sometime around the beginning of November 2021. Needless to say, it had been some time since Sakurai had written that secret game proposal back in July 2021, though we didn’t know about that at the time.
Of course, it goes without saying that, even if development on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s sequel had already been planned for, Sakurai wouldn’t just outright reveal the plans. For the sake of maintaining the surprise slated for several years down the road, Sakurai probably be willing to be a little deceptive with details about this situation.
However, if Sakurai’s words are taken at face value, then this could mean that the next game that he’s developing isn’t the next Super Smash Bros. entry, but something else entirely. Perhaps it’s a sequel to Kid Icarus: Uprising, a game that Sakurai developed specifically to showcase the capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS.
Although Sakurai would ideally like to eliminate the dependence on his vision for the sake of the series’ future, he has noted that wish just isn’t possible at the moment. As of right now, the franchise cannot continue without Sakurai’s involvement.
However, there is an interesting caveat to consider with Sakurai’s words. If Sakurai’s secret game project is essentially a “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe” sort of deal, similar to how Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch improved upon what Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U offered, then perhaps Sakurai wouldn’t consider this title to be a true sequel, but rather a continuation.
To this day, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has sold over 34.66 million units worldwide, marking it as the third best-selling game on the Switch after Animal Crossing: New Horizons (45.85 million units) and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (62.9 million units). Needless to say, Nintendo certainly would have a vested interest in having Sakurai continue Super Smash Bros. on the Switch successor in some capacity.
At some point, there probably will be another Super Smash Bros. entry. Even Sakurai himself has stated as much. The question is, will it be much longer until the next one gets revealed?
Based on what we know of Sakurai’s secret game project and the timeline of the Switch successor’s imminent reveal, it’s looking likely that Sakurai’s next game will be a launch title for what fans have dubbed as the “Switch 2.” As such, we may not have to wait too much longer to find out what’s truly going on with all of this.